Apparatus for charging coke ovens



Dece 7, 1926.

C. E. UNDERWOOD APPARATUS FOB CHARGING COKE OVENS Filed August'lsa, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. E. UNDERWOOD Dec, 7 1926.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING COKE OVENS Filed August 19. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. E. UNDERWOOD `APPRATUS FOR CHARGING COKE OVENS Filed August 19, 1920 3 Sheets-Shea?I I5 Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED. sra-rss PATENT OFFICE.

onaiuins'n. UNDERWOOD, or iin'rnnniinivi, rnNNsYLvANiA, AssiGNOR To 'Bii'riiiin- HEM STEEL COMPANY, or BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

The present invention relates to apparatusk APPARATUS FOR CHARGING COKE OENS.

Application filed August 19, 1920. Serial No. 404,578.

for removing and replacing the cover of an openingv through which material is to be supplied. f More specifically the invention 5 relates to an apparatus for charging Ovens or furnaces and consists in the provision of means for removing the covers ofthe charging? openings of the ovens and for replacing the saine after the charges have been. introduced into the ovens. :In the form of the invention illustrated acharging caror lairy provided with charging hoppers is equipped with theautomatic cover -lifting and replacing means. In the embodiment shown:

this meansinclu'cles electro-magnets, one for each hopper of the charging car. These magnets are suspended on the der control of the Vlarry andunoperator. The invention further coniprehends the provision of means for raising and lowering themagnets and also rotating the same so thatV the cover is seated with a spinning motion. Heretofore, the covers have been removed and reseated by hand, a workman being stationed on the top Yofthe battery GbViOusly, considerable time was consumed ovens for this purpose.

in removing and replacing the covers and furthermore Vthe task was a ldiificult and onerous one on account of the heat and escaping fumes. As

far as known, ithas not heretofore beenY proposed to do this work by power operatedmeans. -Hence,valthough the electro-magnets constitute the best and most convenient means as yet devised for the purpose,

the invention is not limited toincludes others foraccomplishing the same result.

The objects and features of-novelty of the invention will be apparent from the description taken in connection with the drawings p Y electro-magnets are 'employed y,for this purin which Figure .1 is a front .elevation of an oven charging car Lor larry equipped withthe present invention:

larrv and the app vention Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken substantially on the line H of Figure 3; Figure 5 .is a horizontal sectional view of the same ltaken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; 1

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7- is an enlarged View of a detail ofthe hoisting mechanism; f

Figure 8 is a sectional view through one of the charging holefcovers; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of one scheme of wiring for controlling the magnets and the motor. v A

Referring to the drawings, the hopper car or charging larry with which the present invention is shown, comprises a framework l2, four `charging hoppers 10, the operators cab 11 and wheels 13 Yby-which it runs on the track 14, laid above the battery of ovens indicated at V20. These ovens havecharging openings closed by the .covers 15, as shown in Figure y1 and on a larger scale in Figure 8. vFrom this latter view it will be seen that theopenings have concave seats 16 foi' the covers, and that the latter are convexly curved as at Y17 to fit the seats, the object of this construction being to enable the covers to come to a gas tight fit on their seats whenv dropped thereon, as will be described hereinafter.

As previously stated, one ofthe principal objects is to provide means for removing and replacing the covers of charging openings. To this end the larryy is equipped withapparatusfor raising. the covers and thereafter replacing the same. As shown,

for supporting the same are identical and hence it will be necessary to describe only one.

ln the form of the invention illustrated, the cover raising device is carried by a bracket 19 including a body portion 22. A vertical, sleeve 23 extends through this bracket, being journaled in the spaced bear ings 23. Betweenthese bearings the sleeve carries a worm lwheelV 24. 'As will appear hereinafter the sleeve 23 is rotated in order to spin the covers of the openings and the mechanism for accomplishing this result iiicludes the worm wheel v24 driven by a worm 25 secured on a shaft26, which extends throughout the length of the larry and through each of thebrackets'. 19. This shaft 26 is preferably driven by. anelectric motor such as illustrated at 27 -At its lower end the lsleeve 23 is surrounded. lby acasing 28 and is provided with oppositely disposed slots 29. A. plate 29V is arranged withiirthe casing 28 and disposed in the slots 29, of the sleeve so that-the plate is .carried-'foirotation with the sleeve Ibut .may telescope relative thereto." The'plate 29 carries the electro-magnet 21 at its llowerend. Preferably, the connection between'these parts includes pivots 30 and 31. disposed at rightangles to each other so that the magnetis swiv'elled to the plate and may adjust itself tothe cover 15,: Whether the latter isl truly horizontal or not. As the magnets are mounted for rotation it is .necessary 'to provide suitable conductors for energizing the same that willzpermit vrotation. of `the magnets. As

shown, suitable. conductors extend' :fromv the magnets being formed into the cable 34. This cable is ledv through an. aperture in the wallzof the sleeve23 just above the casing 28. andthen upward'lyto the top of the sleeve where the conductors are fastened t binding posts 34 `(see Figure 5). Eachvoi these binding posts is in electrical contact. with one o1n the collector' rings 35A .(see Figure 4), these rings being carried' by the sleeve 23 and disposed Within a 'housing V36 carried ontlie top of. the body portion 22 ot the bracket 19. Current is supplied to .the

collector rings 35 through the leads50 .which in turn arevi'n electrical communication with brushes'49, these brushes being held in con'- tact with the rings 35 by spring actuated arms 49. The top of' the housing 36 vcarries the guides'37 forming' a guideway `forv the crosshead. This crosshead rotatively carries the rod 39 whichdepe'nds from the same through-the. sleeve 23 and Vat itsf lower end is secured -to the plate 29, as clearly shown` in Figure 4. The crosshead 38 together with themagnet is raised and lowered througha c'ablef40. Referring to Figure 1 it willbe seen that the cable 40'Jpasse's from each crosshead 38 upward to a sheave 41, thence downward around the counterby a stop rod't46fzcarrying nuts 47 passing ilthrough a hole in one or' the frame members 12. The nuts.v 47 *thus-.acti as a stop .to limit the upward movement. .of thecounterweight sheave 44. The r0d'46; is connectedzto-the cou'nterweight. by agwire; 48 oi Asuch size that. it: will break under excessive Astrain, thus-,con. stituting a safety...device,or the .machinery in. case of'overhosting.,

Figure 9 illustrates, oneschfeme o'lifwiring for controlling .the r magnets. and the, ,motors from the cab llotthe larry.. As shown .one of theleads 50 of.eachg..ofz.the magnets ,is

connected toa groundE Wireyl.. Eachioit the other leads 50 is connected by a wire. 52.to4 a terminal. 53 of faswitohf54 there. being one of these switches forv each of` theV terminals 53. Eachot tlieswitches 54 isconnected with.' a common terminal 55 .which-v through. a switch 56"'isl in communicationv with one conductor 57 vvofwthesiipply .mains The. other electrical main. may. bethetraCk on which thelarry. runs andl inthe diagramis indicated as a ground..v .The motor 43,.,is supplied from the ,main;.57 thronghi a confy troller 58Vlocated inthe caband the.,motor 27. is likewise suppliedi'rom the main 57,A a controller 59 in. the cab: being provided tol control .-its operation. Vith-.they arrange.- ment shown for the magnetsit willl be ,seen that as many ofthe magnets will be `actuated as there are. switches V54 -thrownin7 when the switch-56`is closed.` Inthis mannerit is possibleV to control the number of magnets lll() llt) operated and ofcourse throughitheswitch 56 4they time of the energizationfof .the mag. nets is under the immediate control. of the;- operator inthe cabi* Furthermore, the pel. riods of energizing the magnets` may be selectively controlled by the .switches- 54;' so

that one or. more of .the magnetsmay been-.

ergized for. alonger or. shorterperiod than the others. In this manner the times of spinning the coversfmay lie selectively con trolled.. Thus it one ormore of4 themag.- nets are cle-energized before the others, the times off spinning of the .covers carried by these magnets will be less.A

In the operation of the apparatusl described, it will be understood that the hop-` pers on the larry are charged. The larry liti Y is then run towards the ovensuntil the magnets are directly over the covers 15. The hoisting motor43 is then operated to lower the magnets into Contact with the covers approximately at which time the magnets may be energized by closing the switch 56 and then the-hoisting-motor again operated but in the reverse direction, to lift the magnets together with the covers. The larry is now moved forward to bring the hopper outlets in line with the charging openings, whereupon the hopper bottoms are opened in the usual way andy the ovens charged through their openings. Thereafter the larry is run back to bring the suspended magnets and covers over the openings again. Then the winding drum is operated in the direction to lower the magnets andat the same time the motor 27 is operated to rotate the magnets and covers. This rotation of the magnets as the covers are lowered onto thev openings, acts to effectively cause the covers to spin or grind themselves on their seats thereby obtaining a tight fit. If preferred the magnets may be deenergized before the covers have been lowered into actual contact with their seats so that the covers will fall to their seats while rotating or spinning.

IIa-ving thus described the invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In apparatus for opening and closing a door, the combination of a member adapt ed to be coupled and uncoupled with respect to a door, means for moving the member to remove or to seat the door, and means to rotate the member to impart spinning motion to the door while the latter is being seated.

2. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a hopper, of power-operated mechanism for engaging and lifting the cover of the charging `opening, and means to rotate said cover as it is returned to its seat.

3. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a hopper, of lifting means in front of said hopper, means carried by the lifting means for engaging a charging-opening cover in any angular position, and means to rotate the lifting means.

et. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a charging hopper thereon, of means supported for vertical movement in front of said hopper and adapted to engage the cover of the charging opening, power mechanism to raise and lower said means, and mechanism to rotate the same as it is being lowered.

5. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a charging hopper thereof, of vertically slidable means in front of said hopper and adapted to en-l gage the cover of the charging opening, hoisting mechanism on the larry to raise and lower said means, and mechanism to rotate said means. Y

, 6. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a charging hopper thereof, of means supported vand guided for vertical movement in front of said hopper, a device carried by said means to engage the cover of the charging opening of the oven, power mechanism on the larry to raise and lower said means, and other power mechanism to rotate said means as it is being lowered.

7 In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a charging hopper, Vof a bracket secured to the larry in front of said hopper, a vertical sleeve rotatably journaled in said bracket, a member slidable but not rotatable in said sleeve, a device adapted to engage the cover of the charging opening and pivoted to the lower end of said member, means to raise and lower said member, and means to rotate said sleeve.

8. VIn a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination with a charging hopper, of a vertical sleeve journaled in front of said hopper, means to -rotate said sleeve, a member slidable but not rotatable in said sleeve, cover-engaging means universally connected to the lower end of saidl member, a hoisting mechanism connected tov said member, and a power shaft geared to said sleeve to rotate the same.

9. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, the combination withva charging hopper thereof, of a bracket secured to the larry in advance of the hopper, a member vertically slidable and rotatable in said bracket, a device carried by said member to engage the cover of the charging opening, power connections to raiseand lower said member, and other powerrconnections to rotate the same.

10. Apparatus of the character described, including in combination, a support, means carried by said support to remove the cover of an opening, and means'to spinv said cover as it returns t-o its seat.

11. In a larry for charging coke ovens and the like, in combination, means to raise and lower a plurality of covers for the charging openings of'the ovens, means to spin said covers as they are vbeing lowered to their seats, and means to selectively control the time of spinning said covers whereby one or more may be spun for a longer period than the others.

l2. In a larry ,for charging coke ovens and the like, in combination, means to remove and replace a plurality of the covers for the charging openings, means to spin said covers as they are being replaced, and

llO

means to selectively `control v'alle ]g elioclofv interval than the others.

13. In. a larry for` charging .cokevens and the like, in. comblnatlon, means v13o raise a plurality `of the covers of, the Charging openings. and; thereafter drop V`them-` on their seats, means to spin .sazid pover-s .before they aredroppedyand meansrto selectively con- 10 trol the, times o-.they dropping of said Covers.: Y

Iniestimony whereof I affix my signature.v

-CHAQ UNDERWOQD; 

